Brenda Sipe, Director

Brenda Sipe has a B.F.A. from Grand Valley State University and a M.F.A. from Michigan State University. She is Director of Continuing Studies at KCAD, spearheading the department for sixteen years. Her background is in public administration, grant development, and community engagement. She is responsible for program, staff, and curriculum development, budget, and marketing. She is a member of the college’s Strategic Planning committee, the Emergency Management Leadership Team, and the Scholastic Art Award Steering committee. Sipe is also a working visual artist who has participated in numerous group and solo exhibitions and has been an ArtPrize artist five years running. In addition to leading the Continuing Studies program, Sipe instructs courses and presents workshops and lectures, both at KCAD and elsewhere. Prior to coming to KCAD, Sipe was an adjunct instructor at several local colleges.

Sierra Casanova, Coordinator

Sierra Casanova is a Central Michigan University graduate with a B.A.A. in Two Dimensional Art and a Minor in Art History. Casanova joined the Continuing Studies staff in fall of 2014. As Continuing Studies Coordinator, she assists with managing the non-credit art and design programs at KCAD. Her specialties lie in educational program management, leadership development, and building capacity. Prior to joining the Continuing Studies team, Casanova facilitated programs for the visual arts department at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth and the Volunteer Center at Davenport University. In her early career, Casanova served three years in the AmeriCorps NCCC and VISTA programs, providing services ranging community development to disaster relief.

Matthew Farrell, Graduate Assistant

Matt grew up in central Michigan and has a BFA in Studio Art from Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, CO. He is currently a first year graduate student at Kendall College of Art and Design studying Printmaking. He loves being outdoors and enjoys fishing, hiking, and snowboarding. Having started with Continuing Studies in the Spring of 2016 he assists with supplies, social media, research, and instructing.

Continuing Studies Work Study Students

The KCAD Continuing Studies department could not do what we do without the help of our student assistants. From graphic design to lesson planning, our KCAD students call on their skills in art, design and education to bring out the best in Continuing Studies.